


Cat and Mouse

by Christina04



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Akumatized Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Angst, Badass Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Chat Noir Being Chat Noir, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Love/Hate, Mentioned Alya Césaire and Nino Lahiffe, Minor Alya Césaire/Nino Lahiffe, Sad Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Snake Luka Couffaine | Viperion, Strong Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:01:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21991852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Christina04/pseuds/Christina04
Summary: Everyone knows Ladybug. She's always there to save the day, to make things right. With the defeat of Hawkmoth, nothing could go wrong. But one day, amid a battle with the new holder of the Butterfly Miraculous, she messes up. Bad.With the fatal loss of life heavy on his conscious, Chat Noir abandons the Cat Miraculous and takes a turn down a dark path. He becomes Chat Blanc. Lost in her grief for both her partner and her old friend, Ladybug disappears, subjecting Paris to the wrath of the hero they once knew and loved.But despite his victory, Chat Blanc will not stop looking for his long lost partner. With the Cat Miraculous no longer being his, he searches for a new partner, one as cunning and intelligent as he is. Thankfully, amidst the chaos, he has the perfect candidate in mind.Marinette Dupain~Cheng.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, chat blanc - Relationship
Comments: 11
Kudos: 69





	1. Lady Dupain~Cheng

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first MLB fanfic so I hope you guys enjoy it. This fanfic and its storyline is going to be heavy on the angst and is going to be portraying forms of anxiety and PTSD. However, on that note, I don't want anyone to get offended by the way I write out these scenes. If you find anything to be incorrect, please let me know.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months after the death of her friend, Marinette is still making her way to recovery. With school the next morning, Marinette is adamant about getting a good night's rest. But as nightmares rake her sleep and an old friend appears in the middle of her panic-filled night, Marinette finds herself the prey of a raging predator - one that she had once considered her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I'm Christina. This is my first MLB fanfic so I hope you all like it! This fanfiction is going to be a little bit heavier on the angst than the show is (if that's even possible), and it will deal with some topics that can make some people uncomfortable. Due to this, I need to warn you all that in this chapter, there is a scene where Marinette has a panic attack. Because of her experiences in this book and in the show, I felt that it was necessary to include a scene like this.
> 
> For those who do go through this, I hope I don't offend you with my depictions of it and if you don't want to read the section, then it is completely fine.
> 
> For those who feel uncomfortable reading this part of the chapter, stop reading at "The pink was still noticeable."  
> Then skip down to where it says, "Slowly I stood."
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I hope you leave comments as well. I really do want some criticism as well as some things that you all enjoyed.

_"Ladybug!" a voice screamed out into the dark._

_A feminine hand rose from the dark, one that was frail and pale._

_A yo-yo was thrown; it wrapped around the wrist, just as the dark turned into trees and sidewalks and steel - the Tour Eiffel, the Eiffel Tower._

_The sound of the chat's staff extending filled the air and a hand was wrapped around my wrist._

_But the girl. The gaze shifted back, only to see a still figure against the ground._

_Tears clouded the eyes as the wails from thousands of citizens of Paris filled my ears._

_There was a chuckle from above. The gaze shifted to the chat._

_But all that was seen were his blue cunning eyes and murder-crazed smile._

~•~•~•~•~•~•

I woke with a scream on my lips. Cold, cold sweat coated my body.

I began shivering.

The dreams were getting worse. I sat up, the blankets pooling around my waist, and looked around my room.

The pink was still noticeable, even at around midnight. But the dark dulled it, dulled it down to blood.

I felt the bile rise in my throat and tears blurred the blood into drops, drops that fell from her hair and mouth. Her hand was lying still next to her head, the yo-yo still wrapped around her wrist.

Oh god... I couldn't...

I brought my hands to my eyes and rubbed furiously, trying to get the image out of my head. But then my hands came away wet. I brought them back down to my lap. They were red, red with blood.

I let loose the shrill scream that was building in my throat and shot out of the bed. But the blankets caught around my ankles, making me trip and hit the ground.

My side flared in agony and I scrambled up, my feet slipping against the hardwood. I tripped again and fell right into a pool of black.

I rolled down the darkness, pain soaring throughout my body as I hit the floor over and over again until finally, I laid on the cold surface.

There was a metallic taste in my mouth. The bile rose once again, but this time I couldn't keep it down.

I hurled onto the floor, my throat burning and my eyes watering. When there was nothing left to hurl, I laid there.

Tears were falling my face as the darkness began to consume me once more.

What am I going to do?

Slowly, I stood. The house was empty so each step to the restroom sent echoes down the halls. Old picture frames were scattered around, some were on the walls and others on the floor.

I turned to look at one on the wall and caught Alya's gaze. I stopped walking and fully faced the picture. The Eiffel Tower was in the background and Alya, Nino, and Adrien were standing next to it.

Adrien was posed with his arm held up and bent, making it look like he was leaning against the figure of the tower. Nino stood next to him, one arm on Adrien's shoulder and the other wrapped around Alya, who was smiling and had her hand held up in a peace sign.

God they all looked so happy...

I frowned and found myself walking further and further away from the picture. How long had it been since we were all like that? So careless. So free. The cold metal of the doorknob in my palm brought me back from my thoughts.

I wish it hadn't.

I blinked and began to open the door. Something within me stirred. I paused.

Something isn't right. I turned.

And there he was, standing in all his glory as the moonlight streamed down onto his figure. A smirk stretched across his face and his eyes shone in the dangerous dark.

I felt the breath cease in my throat. He began walking toward me.

His powerful body rippled with each step he took; moonlight accented the muscles on his back and suddenly, I forgot how to breathe.

There was a rustling from behind but I didn't dare look back. Not with the predator before me.

He came closer, hand reaching out. I stepped back, already feeling my breath begin to leave once more.

He stopped when he was barely an arm's length away. The smirk on his face grew as I felt my face grow cold and pale.

"Nice to see you again, _Purrincess_ ," he purred. His voice was low and smooth. It was hypnotizing and his smirk was tantalizing.

"Please..." I whispered.

He said nothing, but his eyes hardened. The humor was gone, replaced instead with a traitorous cold.

His hand swiped, claws poised to maul. I shut my eyes and ducked away, expecting the searing pain from his claws.

But it never came.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and stood from my crouched position. He was gone.

I took a step forward and saw only moonlight streaming down from behind the curtains. I held my breath.

And took a few steps to the window.

The curtain was drawn back and the moon hung from the sky with dazzling brilliance. The city of Paris was quiet, lights shining from the lampposts and the buildings.

Frost had collected on the corners of the glass, but there was also something else; something drawn in the frost. I reached out and traced the outline. It was a ladybug, one that was oddly shaped. But there was something next to it as well...

A cat...

I turned back to the city and locked my jaw.

It was a promise... The cat would be back...

But the ladybug... what did it mean? I traced it with my finger once more.

A mouse... it wasn't a ladybug. It was a mouse.

Rage pooled low in my stomach as I turned away from the window and went back to my room.

If he expected me to be a mouse, I thought to myself as I climbed in bed, then he never knew me at all.

I shut my eyes against the rage and the dark and fell into a dreamless sleep.


	2. Chanceuse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her encounter with Chat Blanc, Marinette prepares for her first day in college. Slowly, in the familiarity of her friendships, Marinette puts her troubles behind and molds into her facade as their happy, go-lucky, friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of Cat and Mouse. This chapter is less on the angst, but don't worry it's still there. Light angst is implied but the main tone of this chapter (I hope) is light-hearted.

The sun was dim when I woke up once more. For a minute, I forgot where I was. But then the familiar pink wallpaper from the opposite wall of my room gave me a no-so-friendly reminder.

I sat up, rubbing my eyes against the sunlight streaming in from behind the curtains.

There was a distant noise from below the stairs. A rumbling of some sort. I shifted and swallowed the groan that surfaced. Falling from the bed can do wonders to my ankles.

Trying to keep the weight off my right foot, I slowly got out of bed. Immediately, my world spun and I clung to the wardrobe beside me.

_This is going to be fun_.

I groaned and shoved away from the wardrobe. I couldn't be holding onto anything all day.

I put some weight on my right foot and winced at the pain. Slowly, I took a step.

My ankle groaned with pain as I took another. And another. Soon enough, I got to the other side of my room.

I turned and stared blankly at the other wall. _It was going to be a long day..._

_~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•_

The streets of Paris were busy when I left the bakery. Cars were zooming past with no clear intent to stop. Adjusting the strap of my bag, I groan and place my hand on the pole. The glitter of the silver ring shines in the sunlight. I do my best to ignore it.

The light turned and I began to walk through the street.

I turn to look at the cars as I walk, a sense of dread coiling in my stomach. A person shoved into me and I whirled around, my ankle roaring in pain as it twists. I take a step back but my foot gets caught and I fall.

The impact of the ground slams the air out of me and I cry out. My ankle is throbbing from the pain. Grinding my teeth, I get to my feet.

An image flashed across my mind and I adjust the bag from my side. Against the pain, I continue to walk across the street.

There was a wave of concerned faces as I limp past. A few came over, hands reaching out in sympathy. I put on a smile and wave them off, saying that it was my clumsiness.

And it seems to work, especially since the people simply walk away after. I keep the smile on my face as I walk, hoping that it would keep others from being concerned. But my main concern is that it is, in fact, a smile and not a grimace.

Either way, it keeps people away from me. So it works.

"Aw, _purrincess_. I hope you don't mean that" a voice whispered.

My blood ran cold and I froze in place. Someone bumped into my shoulder and gave me a cold look. I felt my breathing begin to quicken, each breath I take getting shorter and shorter.

_Where is he? How could he be here?_

Hesitantly, I turn my head a little bit. I don't see anything. My muscles begin to relax and I turn around, shifting on my feet as I do so.

But there's no one there.

I feel my lips begin to curl into a scowl but I stop them before it forms. Instead, I keep a pleasantly content smile on my face -- one that I have practiced thousands of times before -- as I continue walking to the academy. _Had I imagined it? Imagined him?_

I turn the corner and a shadow leaps across the edge of the building's shadow, disappearing into the grey darkness. My eyes widen and I snap my gaze to the rooftops above me. The sun was shining bright against the glass windows of the buildings and the light blinded me as I continue to look above.

But all that was there were the clouds thousands of feet above the ground and the birds, most likely flying south for the coming winter. I shook my head and continued to walk down the street.

I'm going mad.

It took barely a few more minutes before the academy came into view. It was a familiar sight, the small clumps of people in their cliques and the air of ease. It was a comforting sight.

I pause at the side of the sidewalk, waiting patiently to walk. The cars were still zooming by, slower than before but still moving fast, and I could see the familiar mop of blonde hair.

Adrien. I remember a time that I would swoon at the very sight of him. The light turns and I scoff, walking along the crosswalk.

It's a wonder that I didn't spook him back then. But over time we became friends. Close friends... it didn't matter to me.

Adjusting the strap of my bag once more, I take a deep breath and walk to my group. I pass by Chloe.

She catches my gaze and for a second, we lock eyes. I give her a small smile and a wave. Her cold blue eyes soften and she nods in return before turning back to her friend.

_Well... it's a start._

I shrug and move on, waving to the few people I recognize. After the last Akuma attack — the only Akuma that defeated Ladybug — a lot of my old classmates had transferred to another academy outside of the city limits.

It was a little heartbreaking. So many friends left because they didn't believe that Ladybug... that _I_ could protect them. But after they left, the rest of us got closer than before.

Chloe stopped being so cruel, Rose and Juleka got to be less shy, I stopped being so lovestruck with Adrien, Luka and I... well that was complicated.

I guess we were—

"Hey Mari," a voice I recognized to be Nino's said as he tapped my shoulder.

I locked the sad thoughts away and put on the smile I practiced so often.

"Hey, Nino!" I said, my voice sounding strange to my ears. He smiled at me as the rest of our friends came over.

Adrien gave me a shy wave and a timid smile. I smiled at him in return. Rose came and hugged me, giggling in my ear as she did so.

I giggled a little bit as I hugged her in return, squeezing gently before letting go.

"It's so great to see you, Mari!" Rose squealed when she let go.

I laughed and clapped my hands, bouncing a little on my feet. My ankle seared with pain. It was easy to ignore.

"It's great to see you too!" I said as I switched my gaze from Rose to Juleka, "I'm sorry I couldn't go on the cruise with you guys during the break. It looked like fun!"

Juleka gave me a shy smile and waved me off, "Don't worry Marinette! Even Adrien didn't show up."

I rose a questioning eyebrow. Last time I checked, he was the most excited about that trip. I ignored the curiosity and said, "It still must have been fun."

"Oh, it was! The ocean was so beautiful and the islands-- Oh Mari! The islands were exquisite. There were so many shops and one of them had a whole jungle!" Rose exclaimed. I smiled as she continued to gasp about the islands and the magical wonders she had on the trip.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." I giggled, covering my mouth with my hand.

"Still... We did miss you," another familiar voice said from behind me. I felt arms wrap around my waist and blushed, my cheeks and neck burning with embarrassment.

Somehow, I managed to keep my voice steady as I said, "I missed you all too."

The arms around me squeezed gently, his chin laying gently on my shoulder. I breathed in the soft smell of leather and guitars and smiled.

"It's nice to see you again, _chanceuse_." he smiled.

I sighed a little bit and leaned back, "It's nice to see you too, Luka."

"And yet for some reason, I don't think any of us missed _this_." Nino pointed out, his eyebrow raised in humor.

I rolled my eyes and smiled at him, "And that's what makes it so much more enjoyable."

Nino smiled, though it didn't seem to reach his eyes. It seems like I wasn't the only one who remembered our missing friend.

The bell rang twice. Students were to report to class. I reached out for Nino but he was gone in the whirlwind of bodies rushing to class.

I turned to Luka and gently kissed his cheek before turning to Rose and Juleka. We had the same homeroom: Math 101. As we walked to class, I could have sworn that a certain white feline had perched on top of the academy's main roof. But when I looked back, there was no one there.


	3. Three's A Crowd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the bell rings, Marinette begins the first two classes of the day: Math 101 and Organic Chemistry. With high hopes in mind for Math, Marinette makes a new friend. But in Chemistry, she finds herself in a very awkward situation...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes are at the end :3

The first two hours of the day passed with a flurry of pop quizzes about calculus and organic chemistry. For the first hour of the day Rose, Juleka, and I thought we would be able to sit together in class.

But with the new teacher's first-day grumble of an attitude, our seats were determined within five minutes of being in the classroom.

Juleka was sat next to a girl with dark brown hair and glasses.

Rose was sat next to a boy with black hair.

And I was sat down next to a girl with blonde hair. It was hard to talk to her. It isn't like she was rude. She was pretty nice. In the hour I sat next to her, I discovered that her name was Madison Blanc.

She had just moved from Moscow and wanted to pursue a medical career. After the first quiz on Advanced Calculus -- one I failed on -- she constantly peppered me with questions: Where I was from, what my name was.

I answered all of her questions and found myself liking this girl. She was kind and smart. Like Alya.

The bell rang for the students to get to their second class of the day. Rose and Juleka had History while I had Chemistry.

That class went much faster than Math. When I had arrived at the classroom, juggling my new math textbook in my hands, I found out three things.

1) There was no seating chart.

2) The seats were placed in pairs of three.

And 3) Adrien and Luka were in my class.

They were both sitting in the same group, Luka on the left and Adrien on the right. That meant that only the middle was available.

When Adrien caught sight of me, I saw his eyes widen and almost immediately, he called me over. Then Luka turned and saw me. He smiled and called me over as well.

I felt a blush rise on my face as I walked across the classroom. They both greeted me and moved their stuff over to make room for me to sit.

And I did. But as I looked around, there was a lonely desk by the corner. Now that was tempting. Having Adrien and Luka in the same class wasn't that bad. But sitting next to them both at the same time was going to stir up something, not between them but in me.

I liked Adrien a _lot_ back then, and thankfully nothing drastic had happened between us as a result of it. And slowly, I saw him as he always saw me: He was just a friend.

Whereas with Luka, it was the opposite, I saw him as only a friend back then. But after Chloe's last Akuma incident, where she took control of nearly everyone in Paris, we grew closer. Maybe it was because of the connection between Kagami and Adrien. But maybe it was also because I could be myself around Luka. As I grew closer to him and my crush on Adrien died down, I began to see him as something more than a friend.

But then _he_ happened and Alya's...

I shook the memories away. That whole incident made things awkward. And _this_ situation was _not_ going to help matters, at all.

Thankfully, the professor came in before either of them decided to talk to me. I could deal with it when others were around, not when it was just us.

Thankfully, this teacher was much more lenient than my previous one. She simply began the year with a lecture on her teaching style and her history, boring things that allowed for the period to pass by much faster than before. The bell rang for the third time today, and we all filed out of the room, eager for our break.

The three of us walked around campus, meaningless chatter spilling between the three of us. We started talking about the similarities between piano and guitar when Luka asked Adrien how to play.

But then the conversation migrated to archery as Luka voiced out his concern about the sport's safety. When I said that there was nothing wrong with the sport's safety, the conversation quickly turned into a debate between Luka and me -- one that was just as quickly ended when Adrien suggested a change of topic.

By then Luka and I were silently fuming, both of us angry at not having won the discussion. As Adrien started talking about fashion, I shrugged off my lingering anger. It was just a stupid debate. I turned to Luka, wanting to clear the tension from before, but he didn't meet my gaze.

He looked stubbornly ahead, nodding along and occasionally giving his two cents. But he didn't meet my gaze.

It didn't anger me so much as annoy me. It was a harmless debate; he should be able to get over himself. I frowned a little. If he couldn't do that then what was the point of trying? I didn't try and talk to him after that.

Instead, I found myself joining Adrien in discussing the latest trends. It was a lighthearted topic, one that brought hopeless joy to me.

Adrien was smiling, his blue eyes twinkling in the sunlight. It was easy to smile with him.

And then the bell rung once more.

"Time to go!" Adrien chirped, a bounce in his step.

I couldn't help but giggle and say, "What class do you guys have?"

Luka and Adrien pondered for a moment before taking out their phones, most likely to check the online schedule.

Which reminds me...

I took out my phone, balancing the textbook in my arm as I do so. Opening the schedule from my photos, I looked at the third course listed.

_Les Cours Trois: La Langue/Language_

"I have Language next," I said, putting my phone away.

"History for me," Luka said. I looked at him, just for a moment and nodded.

"Language here," Adrien said. I turned to him, my head tilted a little from curiosity.

"Chinese?" I asked. There was no way he'd have the same class as me.

If it was possible, Adrien's smile widened as he said, "Yeah!"

Okay well... never say never. He held his arm out me, ever the gentleman. I giggled once more and looped my arm through his. Laughing, we both began to walk to class.

But there was a sudden weight around my wrist. I turned around and saw Luka standing there, his hand wrapped around my wrist.

He looked apologetic, his eyes soft and his mouth quirked up in somewhat of an embarrassed smile. I gave him a smile of my own and clutched my textbook to my chest. I watch as he sighs, as unspoken words travel between us.

Then he lets go, his eyes a deeper shade of blue. He gives me a timid wave and walks off to his class.

"Mari?" Adrien says, a question in his voice. I turn to him, a little embarrassed.

"Let's get to class," I say. We only had a few minutes to get to class before we were tardy. As if he read my mind, Adrien grabbed my hand in his before taking off, dragging me with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter for Cat and Mouse. Before y'all throw your rotten tomatoes for the Lukanette and Adrienette teasing, just know that I do have my eyes set on who Marinette should end up with at the end of the fanfic.
> 
> But moving on from that, so far (on the 1st day of publishment) Cat and Mouse got 125 hits and 7 kudos. I know that it might not seem like much, but I've never written a fanfic that is doing so well on the 1st day!
> 
> I'm really happy that so many people have read the book so far! And I'm really looking forward to the rest of it.
> 
> The next chapter might take a little longer to publish, but I'll try to get it out there ASAP.
> 
> See you all then! 
> 
> Christina :3


	4. Panther

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long, hard day for Marinette. After hours of homework, an old friend stops by her home. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes at the end :3

The day passed by quickly after that. I didn't have any more classes with Luka or Adrien; instead, I had a few classes with Chloe and Lyla. Thankfully, it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be.

Maybe there were a few times when I wanted to throw something at Lying Lyla's face.

At least I didn't _this_ time. And that is progress.

By the end of the day, I had three textbooks in my arms and packets of work in my bag. But as I was walking past the library just opposite the academy, I found myself in the reflection of the glass.

And I was _smiling_. It was not forced, like my others. It was a genuine smile. My cheeks were flushed and my eyes had a sparkle to them. It was the first smile I had in such a long time.

And as I turned away, I found a spark of laughter deep within my body. It whirled throughout my stomach and danced like ladybugs in the wind. I giggle at the feeling and dance on the balls of my feet.

It's such a good feeling. Like rose and lily petals dancing within the arms of a fresh summer breeze. White and red and lilac and ---

Of course! Cherry Blossoms!

An image flashed before my eyes. The colors knock the wind out of me as the dress comes to life, swirling delicately on a mannequin without a face. Light fabric, maybe silk, strung from the waist till about the knees. There were no sleeves, none that were shown at least. Maybe a nude mesh?

But something would have to cover the edges. Maybe petals? And the designs on the skirt...

Another feeling rose from deep within me. It was pure bliss. The inspiration was overwhelming and suddenly my hands were aching for the familiar dials of my sewing machine.

I began to walk down the familiar road, but there was something different. The sunlight is more golden and the flower petals' colors are much richer. The breeze smelled like a mixture of river water and rose petals from the bushes beside me.

But still, everything seemed brighter. I guess... I guess this is what happiness feels like...

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

It was long after dark when I finished my homework. Math and chemistry took a long time, all because of useless formulas and equations that I would never need when I'm older. There was a math problem asking how tall the Statue of Liberty is.

That problem threw me in a loop; why did we need to know how tall the statue was? It's not like we're going to build it again.

It was a stupid problem but it was only one problem.

I yawned and put my pencil down, resting my head on the desk. The pencil slowly rolled across the desk before promptly dropping off the edge.

Groaning I turned away from the blinding light of my lamp. Closing my eyes, sleep was a teasing possibility.

But then there was a thud from the window, and chills were sent down my spine. My eyes snapped open, and I sat up as quickly as I could.

The room was strangely dark, the lamp beside me the only source of light. I frowned and stood, looking for something - anything - in the dark.

But there was nothing there. I walked forward and the light immediately dimmed. Blindly I reached for anything to hold onto in this deadly dark, the light a distant point behind me. There was a dull chill that swept through the room. _Was the latch open?_

I looked up and saw a sliver of light from above. Keeping my gaze to the light above, I reached around, grabbing at the air until I felt the cool metal of the ladder's handle in my grasp.

Sighing softly, I maneuvered until my foot hit the hardwood of the first step. I took a step and another thud was heard from above. My eyes widened and suddenly, the latch was swung open and I was standing at the top of the ladder. The chill hit me like a tidal wave and I took a step forward from the shock.

But then I felt a hand grip the back of my neck, felt the claws pierce through the delicate skin and the warm blood that slowly dripped down. As the pain overwhelmed my system, I gasped and shot my elbow back, wanting to hit whatever I could.

But another hand grabbed my elbow and _twisted_. Pain shot through my body, drawing a scream from the depths of my throat. But as it left my lips, I felt the grip on my neck and elbow shift and suddenly, my back was to the wall.

The impact forced the air out of my lungs and I gasped, but there was no air. Swallowing the scream, I clawed at the hand gripping my throat.

The hand on my elbow was gone but the air... Oh god, I need to breathe.

The edges of my vision went dark. I thrust my elbow down on the arm holding me against the wall while simultaneously bringing my knee up against the attacker. There was a grunt of pain and frustration, and the hand against my throat vanished.

"I knew you were feisty," a smooth voice purred, "But that was just plain rude."

I coughed, grateful for the air filling my lungs, but felt my muscles immediately tense. My eyes opened and against the night, his white suit shown with pure luster.

Cunning blue eyes and a teasing, murderous smirk greeted my gaze. His white hair was gleaming in the moonlight, lines of silver shining brighter from the moonlight. Beneath the skin-tight white suit, the hardened muscle was highlighted dangerously.

But it was still him, the tips of his fingers shining bright with blood. _My_ blood. I reached behind to my neck and felt the warm wetness that laid there. Something in me snapped and panic filled my body.

I took a step back, my hand dropping to my side. He couldn't be here.

He wasn't supposed to be here. Ladybug was gone. There was nothing I have that he would want. Unless...

The color drained from my face and my hands began to shake. He couldn't know. He _couldn't_. I never did _anything_ to... I kept my hands by my sides as the need to touch the edge of my ears grew.

But the ladybug miraculous wasn't with me. The earrings were locked away, and no one had seen Ladybug since the day everything went to hell. So he couldn't be here because of that.

So, I clenched my shaking hands into fists and stared him dead in the eye. His lips turned up into a devilish smirk and I felt a shudder rake my body. My fear was pulsing through me like blood in my veins, but I held his gaze.

"I'm sorry... How else was I supposed to react?" I said, crossing my arms, "Invite you in and give you pastries while you shred my neck with your claws?"

Chat Blanc's eyes twinkled and his murderous smile widened, "Pastries would be delightful."

I scoffed and unfolded my arms, keeping my hands on my waist, "Don't you have another damsel to put into distress?"

Chat just put his hand on his chest in a mock-hurt fashion, but the smirk only grew, "Don't enjoy my company, Princess?"

The answer was quite simple and I couldn't help my grin when I said, "No."

The humor in his eyes flickered out like a candle, but the smirk remained, "Well, kitten, I hate to disappoint, but we are going to talk."

There was something in his tone, something that made the hair on the back of my neck rise.

I looked him over, noting the tenseness in his shoulders and the bent nature of his knees - a defensive stance. But why?

"There's nothing to talk about," I said, making sure that the defiance was easy to read.

Chat Blanc's eyes narrowed, the pupils turning into slits, and looked me over. It took him barely six steps to trap me against the wall, his arms on either side of my head. There was a predatory nature that took him over. His pupils were narrow slits and his mouth was downturned - barely an indication that he was beyond pissed - but he had such a rage to him. It was molded into his very being, making his muscles and stature taut with years of training. And it made him dangerous, _very_ dangerous.

He leaned closer, his eyes devoid of emotion, and it was an effort not to cringe away. The tips of his cat ears brushed the side of my face, and his warm breath fanned over my shoulder. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks and looked away from the man before me. As if he knew, Chat moved ever-so closer.

"So defiant..." he murmured, his voice rumbling against my neck. Unable to help myself, I turned my head away. But before I could react, his hand shifted and gripped my chin. _Hard._ I winced in pain and tried to jerk my head away; he just squeezed tighter and turned my head to face him. There was no emotion in his eyes, and it scared me. What happened to my beloved partner? But then he continued, "I wonder why Ladybug never gave you a miraculous Marinette..."

The words were barely a caress, soft but sure enough that they made me freeze with fear.

"I-I don't know," I said, mentally cursing myself for the stutter, "May-Maybe I never came to mind."

Chat Blanc, after a few seconds of cryptic observation, let me go. He took a few steps back and reached into one of his hidden pockets. My back was still to the wall and I braced myself for whatever he was going to offer.

But then he took out a familiar octagonal-shaped box, the red mark of the miraculous carved into the top. Holding it out to me, Chat Blanc smirked and said, "Marinette Dupain~Cheng. This is the Miraculous of the cat, which grants the power of destruction. You will not use it for the greater good, nor will you use it to help others." He paused, a smirk beginning to stretch across his face once more, "You are to become my partner in crime, my protégéé, my _panther_."

I stared in horror at the box in his hand before looking back to him. There was no humor in his gaze. There were only seriousness and a terrifying resolution in his stone-cold eyes.

That's when it hit me: I had no choice in the matter.

"So, Marinette Dupain~Cheng," he purred, "Can I trust you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! It's been a while! I hope you all had an amazing new year! I'm a little lost for words right now, so this note is going to be fairly short and simple. I hope you guys liked how I wrote this chapter. It was a little difficult at times but overall, I'm kinda proud of it.  
> As always, I'm open to criticism and I hope you all have a great day/night.  
> \- Christina :3
> 
> UPDATE: For those of you who had read the newest chapter "A Letter of Ash", I realized that the amount of angst I put into that was a little too much for right now. The chapter will be coming back later and in a better situation. Until then, I'll be rewriting the chapter and posting it whenever I finish! Let me know if this is a smart move or if you would like another chapter.


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